Railroad switch alarm



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. S. HALL.

RAILROAD SWITCH ALARM.

N0.62,414, Patented F.eb.26,1867.

7717 3 71/6 8.96.! JkVIfZ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. S. HALL. RAILROAD SWITCHALARM.

Patented Feb. 26, 1867.

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TH O M A S S. HALL, 0 F STA M F0 RD, CO N NEC Tl C UT. Lctiers PatentNo. 62,414, (1410311 l 'ebi'uarg 2G, 1$GT.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-SWITCH ALARM.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I THOMAS S. HALL, of Stamford, in-the county ofFairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and improvedAlarm or Indicating Attachment for Railroad Switches; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved alarm or indicatingattachment for railroad switches, whereby a station-master, or anyemployee at a station-house, will be at all times cognizant of theposition of a switch, so that in case a switch-tender should fail in hisduty, and not properly adjust a switch, the station-master, or otheremployee, will be made aware of the fact and have the switch adjusted inproper position before any accident can occur. i

The invention consists in having an electro-magnet applied to the switchin such a manner that when the switch is not in line with the main tracka continuous alarm will be sounded in the station-house; and hence, if aswitch-tender, after adjusting the switch in line with a branch track toaccommodate a train, should fail, after ihepassing of such train, toreadjust the switch in .line with-the maiir track, the centinuous alarmwould arrest theattention of the station-master or other employee, whowould have the switch properly adjusted at once. In the accompanyingdrawings- I Figure 1, sheet No. 1, is a plan or top view of myinvention.

Figure 2, sheet No. 2, an enlarged vertical section of a portion of thesame taken in the line x x, fig. 1.

Figure 3, a vertical section of fig. 2, taken in the line y y. i I

Figure 4, a detached inverted plan of a part pertaining to theinvention.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A A represent the rails of the main track of a railroad; B B O C therails of two branch tracks, and D D the rails of a switch, so arrangedas to be capable of being adjusted in line with the main or either ofthe branch tracks. These parts, being arranged in the usual way andcommon to all railroads, do not require a minute description. The switchis moved by means of a hand-lever, E, as usual. To one of the rails D ofthe switch, near its free or disengaged end, a slotted plate, F, isconnected, :1. pendent pin, a,i'rom said rail, extendingdown through anoblong slot, 6, in said plate, (see figs. 2 and 4.) One end of thisplate F is provided with a. cylindrical pendent hub, c, which is fittedin the upper end of a metal cylinder, G, the latter extending down intothe earth and its upper end passing through the sleeper c and tie cl,and also through the metal chain, on which the free or disengaged end ofthe switch raill) works. The plate F is provided with an annular flange,f, to fit snugly around the upper end of the cylinder G and prevent theentrance of moisture into the same. The hub c is allowed .to turn freelyin' the upper end of G, and said hub has a thin projection, 9, extendingdown centrally from it and having parallel sides, (see figs. 9., 3, and4.) Within the cylinder G there is fitted a wooden cylinder, H, to whichthere are secured two metal plates, h 7t, at opposite sides and at itsupper part. These metal plates h h are let in the cylinder H, so thatthey will be free from the cylinder G, and said plates extend u'pward ashort distance above the top of the wooden cylinder H, as shown clearlyin figs. 2 and 3, the projection 9 extending down between the upperparts of the plates it h. The lower end of the plate it has a copperwire, I, attached to it, and his wire is covered with any suitableinsulating material, 2', and is enclosed within a tube, J, of lead orother conducting material, (see figs. .2 and The tube J extends upwithin the wooden cylinder H, and is connected by a wire, j, with theplate is. The tube J," with its enclosed insulated copper wire, I,extends'under the surface of the ground to the station-house, and thetube J is connected, by a wire, j, with one of the poles of a battery,K, while the other pole is connected by a wire, lc, with an electromagnet, L, with which the copper wire I is also connected, as shown infig. 1. The electro-magnet Z may be constructed in any proper manner togive an alarm when the circuit passes through it. A hammer, L, forinstance, may be made to actagainst a bell, m. When the switch is inline with the main track the circuit will be broken, as the plate F,which is connected to the rail D of the switch, is not in contact withthe plates 7t 71,, the projection g of the hub 0 being parallel with andfree from said plates, as'shown in fig. 3. But when the switch isadjusted in line with either of the branch tracks, 13 B or C O, the endsof the projection y will be in contact with the plates 72 it, and thecircuit will be completed and the alarm sounded so long as the switch is-ellowed'to remain thus adjusted. Hence it will be seen that in theevent of a. switclunnn edj'usting theswitch in line with a branch trackto accommodate a train which is to pass thereon, and failing to readjustthe switch in' line with the main track after such train has passed, theprolonged alarm will arrest the attention of the stetion-mester, whowill see that the switch be properly readjusted in line with the maintrack.

This invention, is is believed, will cflectually prevent accidents,which now too frequently occur owing to the carelessness or negligenceof switchinen.

I do not confine myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofparts herein shown and described,

for it is evident that they may be varied and modified in different waysand the same end attained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Pntent- I The combination of a. railroad switch with onelectric signal or alarm apparatus, substantially described, so that theswitch, in its movement to either side of the line rail, shell close theelectric circuit and sound the alarm, and when in its proper line shellbreak and leave the circuit broken, using therefor the mechanicaldevices set forth, or any suitable mechanical equivalent.

2. I claim, in combination with the switch, the slotted lever F, theswivel-heed G, the plate g, and the metallic connections, h It, foroperating an electric signal apparatus.

THOMAS S. HALL.

Witnesses:

WM. F, MCNAMARA, E. N. CALLAN.

